When to Exit the Therapy Profession: How to Quit Being a Therapist (and Be Okay)
Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby is a licensed psychologist, licensed marriage and family therapist, board-certified coach, AAMFT clinical supervisor, host of the Love, Happiness, and Success Podcast and founder of Growing Self.
Sometimes the most ethical thing you can do—for your clients, your family, and yourself—is to quit being a therapist.
That thought alone can feel terrifying. Most of us have poured years into our education, built lives around the identity of “helper,” and sacrificed so much in service of others. But what happens when the work that once gave you purpose begins to feel heavy, lonely, or even harmful to your well-being? At some point, every therapist asks: when is it time to exit the therapy profession?
In this episode, I talk with Dr. Jen Blanchette, licensed psychologist and host of The Therapist Burnout Podcast. She left private practice in 2023 and now helps other therapists who are ready to close their practices and figure out their next steps out of burnout. Together we explore one of the most tender and complicated questions in our field: how do you know when to quit being a therapist, and what might come after?
When Burnout Doesn’t Fully Explain It
If you are reading this, something inside you may already be asking the hard questions. Maybe you feel drained by the emotional labor. Maybe the administrative grind of private practice has become too much. Or maybe you have simply grown into someone new, and the way you are practicing no longer fits.
Burnout might be part of it, but for many therapists there is something deeper. If you find yourself wondering when to exit the therapy profession, it often comes after you have tried everything to make it work. Even after raising your rates, narrowing your niche, or reducing your caseload, you may still feel out of alignment. That is when the quiet truth starts to surface: “I don’t know if I want to be a therapist anymore.”
The Process of Letting Go
Jen and I talked about the slow, almost invisible process that leads to this realization. It often begins with subtle signs like dreading certain sessions, feeling ineffective with long-term clients, or noticing that your work is spilling into family life in painful ways.
Next comes bargaining. You work harder, adjust your practice, and convince yourself that the right strategy will fix everything. The reality is that most of the time, it doesn’t.
Eventually the weight of it all makes the role feel unsustainable. At that point, the decision is not just about leaving the profession. It is about grieving the identity you have carried for so long.
The Grief of Leaving the Therapy Profession
One of the most powerful themes in this conversation was the grief therapists experience when they consider closing their practices.
There is grief in saying goodbye to long-term clients.
Grief in letting go of the dream of what private practice was supposed to be.
Grief in feeling unseen by peers who still idealize the role.
And then there is fear. What will people think? Does this mean I am giving up? Who am I if I am not a therapist?
Naming those feelings matters. So does asking yourself another important question: “What do I need in order to be okay?”
Getting Honest About What You Need
Jen shared that once she stopped trying to “fix” her practice and got clear about what she actually needed—financially, emotionally, and energetically—everything shifted.
She took a bridge job. She looked at the numbers. She prioritized her own mental health. Over time, the fog lifted.
Maybe you do not need to leave the field entirely. You might need a sabbatical, a new role, or support from a group practice. You might feel drawn toward non-clinical work, coaching, or simply rest. The point is that leaving does not have to mean failure. Sometimes it is the most honest form of integrity.
You Are Not Alone in Deciding When to Exit the Therapy Profession
If you find yourself wondering whether to quit being a therapist, I want you to hear this clearly:
You are not broken.
You are not alone.
And you are not failing for wanting a life that fits you better.
This conversation is an invitation to face these questions with honesty and compassion. For yourself, and for your clients. Because when you are unwell or unfulfilled, it affects everyone. And when you are grounded and living in alignment, your life and your relationships benefit in ways that ripple outward.
Free Support for Therapists Wondering When to Exit the Therapy Profession
If this conversation touched you, I want to offer something that can help. Jen and I are hosting a free CEU training designed for therapists who are wondering whether it is time to exit the therapy profession:
🎓 How to Ethically Exit: When Private Practice No Longer Fits
🗓️ October 17 | 11am MT / 1pm ET
👉 Reserve your spot now!
In this session, you will learn how to:
- Recognize the signs that it may be time to quit being a therapist
- Close your practice responsibly, both ethically and emotionally
- Begin imagining new possibilities for your life and career
Whether you are still bargaining with yourself or already halfway out the door, this training will give you clarity and courage for the next step.
Let’s Keep Talking
If you’re sitting with questions after reading this, you don’t have to sit with them in silence. I’d love to connect with you on LinkedIn, where I often continue these conversations with fellow therapists who are asking the same things you might be. And if you’d prefer a quieter space, you can share your reflections with me here. I read every note that comes in, and it means so much to know these words are meeting you where you are.
xoxo,
Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby
Resources:
Vivolo, M., Owen, J., & Fisher, P. (2024). Psychological therapists’ experiences of burnout: A qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis. Mental Health and Prevention, 33, 200253. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mhp.2022.200253
Adams, D. R., Williams, N. J., Becker-Haimes, E. M., Skriner, L., Shaffer, L., DeWitt, K., Neimark, G., Jones, D. T., & Beidas, R. S. (2019). Therapist financial strain and turnover: Interactions with system-level implementation of evidence-based practices. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 46(6), 713–723. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10488-019-00949-8
Van Hoy, A., & Rzeszutek, M. (2022). Burnout and psychological wellbeing among psychotherapists: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 928191. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.928191
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